Berkeley, California (Monday, September 12, 2011) - Berkeley residents are invited to join the tens of thousands of California volunteers who will help clean up our local beaches, bays, and waterways during this year's Coastal Cleanup Day: Saturday, September 17.

California Coastal Cleanup Day, an annual beach and inland waterway cleanup, is the state's largest volunteer event. In 2010, more than 82,500 volunteers removed more than 1.2 million pounds of trash and recyclables from state beaches, lakes, and waterways. Through their collection efforts, volunteers help compile data about garbage for the largest research project in the world. The data collected is used to inform the development of legislation and in consumer education.

How to partcipate:

WHEN: Saturday, September 17, 2011Register between 9-10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Register at the big dirt lot behind the Sea Breeze Market and Deli on the corner of West Frontage Rd. and University Ave. in Berkeley. This year's Cleanup will take place at the mouth of three creeks, and along our east shoreline and all around the Marina.

HOW: Individuals and small groups should arrive in the morning to sign waivers, receive an educational safety training, and get directions to the clean-up locations. At the end of the Cleanup, participants who also the filled out a data card will get a raffle ticket for some great prizes.

Large groups of 10 or more need to preregister by calling (510) 981-6720.

Plastic bags and gloves are available for volunteers, but residents are also invited to help reduce the need for those products. Starting in 2010, Coastal Cleanup Day volunteers turned out to the Cleanup with a "Bring Your Own" philosophy.

Here are some quick tips for volunteers:

Bring a bucket or reusable bag to the Cleanup for collecting trash (most Cleanup sites are equipped with dumpsters or roll-away bins, so you can dump what you collect and bring your bucket or reusable bag back home);

Bring a lightweight pair of gardening gloves from home;

Bring a filled, reusable water bottle to the Cleanup;

Use public transportation, bike, or carpool to your Cleanup. Use the pedestrian overpass and the Bay Trail to reach the staging area and the many locations we will be cleaning, or take the 51B bus to University Ave. and Frontage Rd.

Other Locations: If you are interested in cleaning up the Emeryville shoreline, show up at the Firehouse on Powell St. at 9:00 a.m. For Albany, go to Albany Beach at the foot of Buchanan St. in Albany at 8:30 a.m.